beautiful skin – Stylishly Zen

Beautifully Zen -Volition Tumeric Brightening Polish Review

Published on January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 by soreiyaLeave a comment

There are a few things in life that I could honestly say that I am obsessed with:

Travel? Check!

Food? Double Check!

Interior Design and Architecture? Absolutely!

Turmeric? Without a doubt!

Now obviously my turmeric obsession is completely different then all of the others, and I realize that it is a bit of an odd one to have. But the truth is that I have been interested in the benefits of turmeric since I was a child. When I was younger, my mum and grandmother introduced me to the idea of exfoliating with a paste that had turmeric in it to help to achieve beautiful, glowing skin. Frankly, I would do it everyday if it didn’t leave my hands and nails a bright yellow hue. Even before I started studying nutrition, I was aware of the benefits of including turmeric in my diet, needless to say turmeric has been a staple in my pantry and on my plate for many years. (You can read about the benefits of turmeric here)

A few months ago, I was wandering the aisles of Sephora when I came across Voliton’s Turmeric Brightening Polish. Despite the fact that I has never heard of the brand or this scrub, I immediately grabbed a bottle and headed to the cashier to pay for my new found discovery.

Having used this scrub periodically over the past few months are here is my honest review:

Volition is a cool beauty company that make products thought up and created by real people just like you and me. If you go to their website, you can vote on beauty ideas suggested by regular people and they develop the product. In my opinion, the idea of creating a turmeric exfoliant is brilliant and had I been aware of such a company, I would have voted for this product myself.

The packaging, like all of Volition’s packaging includes a little introduction and picture of the person that came up with the idea for this product – I love that they get credit for their great ideas! Other then that, the packaging is nothing out of the ordinary but I will say that the rose gold coloured cap on the bottle is pretty.

Fragrance – there is no scent making this product idea for people with sensitivities with highly fragranced products

Texture – this is where I was disappointed. The bottle states that this product is for face and body but the texture is quite grainy. The exfoliants are quite large which I find are better suited to use on the body as it would be too harsh to use as a facial scrub. I like to use it as an extra scrub step when my skin needs a little extra attention and follow it with a good moisturizer.

I really wanted to love this product especially since it contains my favourite all star miracle spice, but unfortunately I can’t honestly say that I do. It is effective as a body scrub but there are many others on the market that work just as well and are less expensive.

Stylishly Zen rating – 2.5/5

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Why You Need to Add a Jade Roller To Your Beauty Routine

Published on September 7, 2017September 6, 2017 by soreiya1 Comment

Over the past few years the jade roller has become a popular tool in many peoples beauty arsenal. While they are often included in beauty flay lays posted to Instagram, and occasionally gets a shout out by beauty vloggers on Youtube, many people don’t realize that jade rollers are a fabulous addition to even the most simple of beauty routines.

The jade roller was a closely guarded beauty secret of Chinese Royalty for centuries. Aside from the beauty benefits, using a jade roller was also considered a spiritual act for dispelling bad energy and balancing your Chi (Vital life or energy force). Symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue and body pains are often considered indications of imbalanced Chi. Practices such as using a jade roller or acupuncture along with self care practices such as getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well can help to realign your Chi.

Aside from the holistic benefits of using a jade roller, there are also some great beauty benefits as well. The top three beauty benefits of using a Jade roller are:

Brighten complexion
Chase away fine lines
Release tension that is held in the facial muscles resulting in a more relaxed and youthful complexion

Rolling the jade over your skin assists in lymphatic drainage, increases blood circulation and helps to diminish fine lines. It also helps your products to penetrate more deeply into your skin. An added bonus of using a jade roller it is great in helping to relieving puffiness after a late night – keep it in the refrigerator to increase the cooling sensation.

How to use a jade roller:

Cleanse and apply your serum and/or your moisturizer as your normally would
Starting at the neck, roll the jade roller in an upwards motion in long strokes
Complete rolling the jade roller over your entire face and neck in an upward motion
Use the smaller roller to massage the under eye area to help to alleviate any puffiness that you may be experiencing
Wipe the roller clean with a damp towel
Enjoy a brighter more youthful complexion!

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a jade roller to get the benefits of it – I purchased mine from Amazon for $8.00 . Please note that the colour of the jade will vary from roller to roller – this is just due to different colours of the stone and does influence the effectiveness of the roller. Here are a few jade roller options in so that you can shop this post:

Jade Rollers on Amazon

Jade Rollers from Herbivore Botanicals

Jade Rollers on Etsy

The Stone Massage Company

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Holistic Beauty Review – The Best At Home Chemical Peel I have Ever Tried

Published on July 27, 2017July 26, 2017 by soreiyaLeave a comment

There seems to be a myth that clean beauty is not as effective or as powerful as regular (read: Toxin filled) beauty products. While that may be true with some products, the Juice Beauty Green Apple Full Strength Peel is not one of them. This is the the best clean beauty product that I have ever tried.Peels and sheet masks are two of my favourite skin care products, so my expectations are quite high when I am trying a new product. I first discovered the Green Apple Peel during a routine visit to Sephora last year. I was not familiar with the product and hadn’t read any of the reviews, but I was swayed by the information on the box and decided to give it a try. That night after washing my face, I carefully applied the peel according to the directions on the box and waited for it to work it’s magic. There was a bit of tingling but nothing crazy, then nothing. 10 minutes later, I washed off the peel to reveal fresh, soft glowing skin – I was hooked. There was a bit of redness which disappeared by the next morning, but the glow remained. I am a beauty junkie and it is rare for me to repurchase a product but, I am currently on my third jar of this stuff and I see no reason to switch it out of my weekly skin care regimen. It is fabulous!

So here are the details:

This peel is designed for all skin types (with the exception of people with sensitive skin or rosacea). It helps to even out skin tone by fading dark spots, uneven skin tone and it also helps to refine the texture of the skin. This peel also helps to blur the appearance of fine line and fights free radical damage on the skin. The superstar ingredients in this peel include apple juice and resveratrol both of which are rich in vitamins and contain powerful antioxidants, lemon to help to clarify and improve the skin tone and aloe leaf juice to improve the hydration and the natural moisture content within the skin.

As with all Juice Beauty product, every effort has been made to keep this product as clean as possible. This peel is free of parabans, petroleum, propylene, butylene glycol, sodium lauryl, sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances. It has also not been tested on animals.

Pros:

It is a very effective exfoliator
The texture is smooth and not so sticky
It has a fresh lemon scent
Washes off easily with a wash cloth

Cons:

Price – the first jar of this that I purchased was $45 but it now retails for $60 at Sephora. I love this product which is why I continue to repurchase it, but the price increase does bother me
The package design is kind of boring. Superficial I know but the former fashion girl in me wishes that it had a sleeker look.
It is a strong exfoliator (which is what I love about it) so if you have sensitive skin this is not the right product for you

Overall I would rate this product a 4.7/5

I love the Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel and it is hands down one of my favourite skincare products. I have been using it for nearly a year and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in trying an effective clean beauty product.

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Glow Getter Homemade Mask

Published on November 24, 2016November 23, 2016 by soreiyaLeave a comment

I love beauty DIY’s and homemade masks are no exception. Not only is making your own masks cost effective, but masks that you create at home are more natural and safer for both your skin and your overall health. This honey and papaya mask is one of my favourites and it is very easy to make. You probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen. There are many different versions of this mask online, but after trying a bunch of them I came up with this one using my favourite ingredients. I have been hooked on it ever since! Just ten minutes will help to leave your skin happy, hydrated and glowing. Like with all beauty regimens, consistency is key so try using this mask once a week for long term results.

Some of the benefits of the ingredients in this mask include:

Papaya – this beta carotene rich fruit is filled with powerful enzymes that help to combat free radicals on the skins surface. The alpha hydroxy acids in papaya help to dissolve dead skin cells by acting as a mild exfoliator.

Lemon – this natural astringent helps to tighten pores and lighten acne scarring.

Raw honey – is extremely hydrating which is perfect for the drying cooler temps

Turmeric – helps to tone the skin and is anti aging as it fights free radicals on the surface of the skin.

Ingredients:

3 teaspoons of fresh papaya

1 teaspoon of raw or manuka honey

1/2 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon of turmeric

Directions:

Mash the turmeric with the back of a fork and combine it with the remainder of the ingredients.

Apply to clean skin with a brush. Turmeric can stain the skin so applying it with your fingers may result in yellow nails and fingers.

After 10 – 15 minutes gently remove the mask with warm water and a wash cloth. Continue with the remainder of your skin care regimen.

Bonus Tips:

It is best to use this face mask at night as some of the ingredients can increase skin sensitivity. Make sure that you use sunscreen during the day to help protect your skin.
For people with sensitive skin, it is best to do a skin test first to ensure that your skin doesn’t react to this face mask.
You can use this mask all over your body including your neck and legs.
Refrigerate any leftovers and use it within two days.
Some people may find that the turmeric has lightly stained their skin (this really depends on your skin tone), cleansing your face should help to remove the colour.

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Fall Glow Getters – What You Should Be Eating

Published on October 18, 2016October 19, 2016 by soreiya6 Comments

To say that I am beauty obsessed is an understatement and I have spent more hours then I care to publicly admit wandering every beauty counter, aisle, website and Sephora that I come across. But at the end of the day I know that true beauty starts from within – in how you feel and what you eat. Now that the weather is getting colder and the leaves are changing colour it’s a great time to hit the reset button on your diet to help boost your skin care needs. Here are some of my favourite fall foods to help me look and feel my best:

Apples

The old adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” has a lot of truth to it. Filled with fibre, vitamins and minerals apples are a great addition to everyones diet. The fibre helps keeps things moving through your digestive system, will keep you feeling fuller for longer then other foods and it will keep your skin glowing with good health. The skin on apples contains quercetin which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and the vitamin C content helps the body to synthesize collagen for a more youthful appearance along with boosting the immune system. To reap the full beauty benefits of apples eat them whole rather then without the skin or just drinking apple juice.

Garlic

Garlic is a staple in my kitchen. As a natural antibiotic it is also my go to remedy whenever I am feeling a little under the weather. Filled with antioxidants it helps to combat free radicals in the body. Garlic is also a rich source of sulphur which is essential for the structure of the skin.

Ginger

Ginger is great for warming the body during the colder months. It helps with cellular turnover and blood circulation which helps to transport nutrients around the body and to eliminate toxins quickly. This detoxifying effect leads to a happier digestive system and clearer more vibrant looking skin. Try adding ginger to soups and to teas for a tasty boost.

Walnuts

Walnuts have many health and beauty benefits. They contain copper that helps to boost collagen production and omega-3 fats (that’s the best kind!) that helps to improve skin’s elasticity. With all nuts it is important to be mindful of serving sizes – topping your salads or enjoying a handful as a snack is enough to help you reap the beauty benefits.

Oily Fish

Recently, Victoria Beckham’s interview with The Edit made headlines as she mentioned her favourite skincare secret – she eats salmon every day. As someone who has experienced the benefits of a fish heavy diet I can personally attest that she is on to something. Oily fish contains beneficial fats which help to keep the skin looking plump by keeping the skin hydrated from the inside. Known to be the ultimate internal moisturizer, healthy fats help to keep the cell walls supple. This is especially helpful in combating the dehydrating effects of summer. Salmon and sardines are at the top of the my skin savior list. Try to stick to wild fish as it has a better fat composition compared to farmed fish.

Pumpkin

Pumpkins are the ultimate fall fruit. When the leaves begin to change colour pumpkin pies and pumpkin lattes quickly become many people’s dietary staple. While I am not advocating that more people indulge in either of these sweet treats, pumpkins themselves are filled with many amazing beauty boosting benefits. Pumpkins are rich in copper and zinc – both minerals play a huge part in achieving healthy hair and skin. Zinc also helps to maintain collagen, promote skin renewal, fight acne and protect cell membranes. Pumpkins also contain carotenoids which are phytonutrients that help to improve skin texture, reverse UV damage and promote a healthy glowing complexion. Vitamins A and C helps to promote collagen production, brighten the skin and improve both firmness and elasticity. Look for new and healthy ways to include this incredible fruit into your diet. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of zinc, use them in salads and soups for an added nutritional boost.

Adding any or all of these foods into your diet will help boost your skins radiance and health from within. Fall is a great time to try new recipes or to find new ways to incorporate these fabulous glow getters into your diet. Let me know below what your favourite fall foods are and how you like to enjoy them.

I hope that you have a great day! XXS